Nabbes, Thomas · published 1637 · first performed or written 1635 (Annals) tragedy · Queen Henrietta Maria's Men · Phoenix/Cockpit T9 Theatre talk: prologues, poets and playe typicality 0.77 · 515 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T9: play, stage, poet, prologue, author, wit, plays, muse, scene, players.
ANother Tragedy? What will become Of the soft Muse? she'll shortly have no room On this transformed stage. Lady's shall not blush, Nor smile under their fans: nor he in plush, That from the poet's labours in the pit Informs himself for th' exercise of wit At Taverns, gather notes. Stay, I should be A Prologue, not a Satire. You shall see A piece from a rich subject drawn; but how The workmanship will please, and you allow Th' imperfect colours and the weak design, Let your own judgements tell you, and not mine. The Author warrants us the story's clear; Unless to fit the Stage he doth transfer Some actions that were ones to other men: The places sometimes changed too for the Scene. Which is translated as the music plays Betwixt the acts: wherein he likewise prays You will conceive his battles done, and then The method shall appear, in which his pen Hath smoothly dressed the argument. 'Tis free As ever Play was from scurrility. Nor need you Ladies fear the horrid sight: And the more horrid noise of target sight By the blue-coat Stage-keepers: our spheres Have better music to delight your ears, And not a strain that's old, though some would task His borrowing from a former play. We ask Your patience but two hours, by which time he Shall either die or live to Poesy. HEre's the right use of victory, to tame Our furies with soft case and wantonness, After so many travels. Had our Hannibal Possessed himself of Rome without a Capua, The conquest had been poor. These spoils of beauty, And free ones too, that uncompelled will run To embrace a Soldier; rock him in her arms; Sing him asleep, and with her icy fingers combing the knotted curls of his black hair So long neglected, make herself the ravisher: Ol' is Elysium. Nay, to have such change Of pleasure court us; as if their inventions Were, busy to make our delights The object of their care. Here we are feasted With Chalcedonian Tuning; Rhodian guilt heads, And more than Samian gluttony. We drink No wine, but of Campania's Mascicus, Or grape crowned Aulon. boys more fair than he That bears Ioves Cup, rapt on the dusky wings Of's sky-born Eagle, serve the banquet up In golden dishes, or Corinthian plate, Luxuries chiefest. To crown the entertainment, Here sits a Lady, Hebe never blushed A colour like her check: and in her eye A thousand Cupids move in wanton frisks, To catch the gazers. There's another decked In the Sea's riches, which the Negro dives for: Her pearls reflection dimacing the dark tapers, As if all light were borrowed from those Suns Their orient roundness mocks us with. A third Betrays through a transparent lawn the beauty Of a complexion, white and red did never Mix a more perfect; and a shape exact As Nature's first Pandora's. The possession After desire hath made a preparation In every sense to entertain these joys, Can earth afford a Heaven, and this not be The best hope ever feigned?
seed 43: T16 · seed 44: T15 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
ANother Tragedy? What will become Of the soft Muse? Shee'l shortly have no roome On this transform'd stage. Ladies shall not blush, Nor smile under their fannes: nor he in plush, That from the Poets labours in the pit Informes himselfe for th' exercise of wit At Tavernes, gather notes. Stay, I should be A Prologue, not a Satyre. You shall see A piece from a rich subject drawne; but how The workmanship will please, and you allow Th' imperfect colours and the weake designe, Let your owne judgements tell you, and not mine. The Author warrants us the story's cleare; Vnlesse to fit the Stage he doth transferre Some actions that were ones to other men: The places sometimes chang'd too for the Scene. Which is translated as the musick playes Betwixt the acts: wherein he likewise prayes You will conceive his battailes done, and then The methode shall appeare, in which his pen Hath smoothly drest the argument. 'Tis free As ever Play was from scurrility. Nor need you Ladies feare the horrid sight: And the more horrid noise of target sight By the blue-coated Stage-keepers: our spheares Have better musick to delight your eares, And not a straine that's old, though some would taske His borrowing from a former play. We aske Your patience but two houres, by which time hee Shall either dye or live to Poesie. HEre's the right use of victory, to tame Our furies with soft case and wantonnesse, After so many travels. Had our Hanniball Possest himselfe of Rome without a Capua, The conquest had beene poore. These spoyles of beauty, And free ones too, that uncompel'd will runne To imbrace a Souldier; rock him in her armes; Sing him asleepe, and with her icy fingers Kmbing the knotted curles of his black haire So long neglected, make her selfe the ravisher: Ol' is Elysium. Nay, to have such change Of ; as if their inventions , busie to make our delights The object of their care. Here we are feasted With Chalcedonian Tuning; Rhodian guilt heads, And more than Samian gluttony. We drinke No wine, but of Campania's Mascicus, Or grape crownd Aulon. Boyes more faire than hee That beares Ioves Cup, rapt on the duskie wings O's sky-borne Eagle, serve the banquet up In golden dishes, or Corinthian plate, Luxuries chiefest. To crowne the entertainment, Here sits a Lady, Hebe never blusht A colour like her checke: and in her eye A thousand Cupids move in wanton friskes, To catch the gazers. There's another deckt In the Seas riches, which the Negro dives for: Her pearles reflexion dimacing the darke tapers, As if all light were borrow'd from those Sunnes Their orient roundnesse mockes us with. A third Betrayes through a transparent lawne the beauty Of a complexion, white and red did never Mixa more perfect; and a shape exact As Natures first Pandoras. The possession After desire hath made a preparation In every sense to entertaine these joyes, Can earth affoord a Heaven, and this not bee The best hope ever faign'd?